Carmen, the story of Don José

Dear listener, please take the time (less than 3 hours of slow reading) and study Prosper Merimee's original novel if you haven't done so already. The author makes it apparent that the story is really about Don José and his choices in life, ruled by passion and the inspiration of the moment. Don José is, probably, one of the most complicated characters in literature. He is multi-faceted and three-dimensional, to the point when at one moment you like him and the next you scorn him. His pride and nobility coexist in strange harmony with his often offensive hot-headedness and impulsiveness. Bizet used his great talent to represent Don José's conflicting qualities through music.

It is immediately apparent that this part could be sung by neither a tenore di forza, nor a purely lyric tenor. The part absolutely requires the ability to switch between tenderness and anger "at the crack of the whip" so to speak. And that's when José Carreras truly shines. Unlike many, I would call his voice a lirico spinto, but with the ability to project excellent, seemingly spontaneous pianissimos. To illustrate this point, listen to the scene just prior to 'The Flower Song' as well as to the aria itself. Taken on its own, the aria has a lyrical sound, yet the prior scene shows Carreras' ability to produce an almost baritonal sound. This is the singing/acting "blend" that so many talk about, yet so rarely see done, particularly by tenors.

Don José is clearly out of place among the smugglers, set apart by his nobility and refusal to take up the leader position. (By the way, in the novel Don José fights a duel with Carmen's husband - whether real or not we will never know, kills him, and yet does not really assume the leadership as would seem proper according to the bandits' laws.) The final duet impresses with these qualities as well, gradually we become sure that Don José can kill. We all know the ending, yet the way Carreras opens the scene, it looks as if he'll just let Carmen go and suffer in silence and alone. Then just at the point when her resolve to refuse him gains strength, he turns up the volume and begins to "lose his cool".

As for Carmen, really, all she needs to be is seductive, arrogant, and flirtatious. She speaks of love, but really does not know what it means. She literally follows Adina's advice in L'elisir d'amore - "change a lover with every day" to be happy. In a way, this is exactly what makes Don José attracted to her. It's that same "taming of the wild horse" syndrome that rules Calaf in Turandot and Tonio in I Pagliacci. Unlike Amneris or Eboli, this mezzo role does not induce the listener to like the character. All that matters to Carmen is her freedom and enjoyment. In the novel, the figure of Escamillo remains in the shadows, but Bizet chose to bring him to the forefront to illustrate the whole point of Carmen's life - the show, the flirt, the swagger. In Escamillo, Carmen meets her male counterpart. And Bizet gets a chance to impress us with yet another great tune.

Agnes Baltsa is the reigning Carmen. She sings and acts the role as if it were written for her. She won't come across as subtle as Troyanos or Bumbry or as passionate as Archipova or Berganza. But her interpretation is exactly what Merimee must have envisioned. Vocally she is superior to most other mezzos who undertook this demanding role. She has a very long musical phrase and tremendous power, even though sometimes she draws breath a bit too loud (but so did Callas and Berganza among others). She is head and shoulders above much hyped-up Graves. "Les tringles des sistres tintailent" is incredibly sung and conducted, probably the best on record.

José van Dam is a bit under-powered and comes across as a bit too intelligent as Escamillo. Ramey's or Ghiaurov's blatant swagger seems more appropriate for this "go-get-it" character. But Karajan's conducting more than makes up for it with triumphant brass and percussion.

I have to admit that I like the singing dialogues in place of the spoken ones used in this recording, even though that was the composer's intent. But since all the critical recordings (e.g. Solti, Abbado) use them, we can't really complain. The Solti set is the only rival to the one reviewed here, thanks to the magnificent singing of Placido Domingo. The major difference between the two great Spaniards, though, is that while both have great voices, Carreras impresses because within his masculinity there also is a touching vulnerability.

The supporting characters are luxuriously cast. Ricciarelli as the angelic Micaela is enchanting. Her Act I duet with Carreras is one of the most beautiful things one is ever to hear. Also, we hear from Jane Barbie and Gino Quilico in small but rewarding roles. Many music schools rightly use this set as a recording standard for Bizet's final masterpiece. It is my strong feeling that it will remain the standard for many years to come.